The weeks before Christmas are fleeting by and shopping for gifts can be a frantic time. 

Let's be clear. Gifts for your skipper don't have to be for Christmas or Hanukkah. During these winter months, it is prime buying time for boat products, so you can take advantage of Black Friday sales, and to peruse boating catalogs while you are sitting by a warm fire.

Gift Ideas

Give it some thought. Maybe it is a gift for the captain, but also something that will make your own life better on the high seas.

Does it ever annoy you that swim ladders seem about two rungs too short? Take a look at the CLR Marine Extend Your Step Ladder. It adds several rungs to your existing swim ladder, and hangs on the bottom most rung. It lengthens your ladder by several additional rungs. Extend Your Step stays right on your boarding ladder, so you never need to store it.

While you are sailing, at some point you have to drop anchor, or tie up to a dock. It may be raining, so what better way to sit out a storm, or catch up with your favorite football game, than a Jensen 19" 12 volt television.

No guilt allowed about  closing the hatches or watching some late night television while you are anchored. The 19" LED DC TV packs a punch with an integrated HDTV tuner and JCOM, allowing it to communicate with your Jensen HDMI-equipped stereos. 

Maybe it's time to treat yourself to some updated foul weather gear. Onyx 7501 Flotation Jackets and First Watch H20 Flac jackets are popular  this season.The Onyx 7501provides better hypothermia protection than a traditional, vest style life jacket in colder water conditions. The First Watch H20 Flack jacket is engineered for warmth, breathability and rugged performance.

While most fishermen prefer to pick out their own rod and reel, a great gift to compliment the pole is an organizational bucket for lures, tools and line. Wild River Rigger 5 Gallon Bucket has many compartments to keep a fisherman organized while casting.

It doesn’t matter who cooks the grub for the crew, but it makes lots of sense to keep the cook happy. Why not outfit the galley with new cookware, or an updated stern grill. Everything a galley cook needs is in the full set of Magma Nesting 10-Piece Induction Compatible Cookware with its Magma Red Exterior & Slate Black Ceramica Non-Stick Interior. All ten pieces are easy to store.

A Magma Chef’s Mate gas grill is easy to install, is transportable, and folds away for easy storage. It excels with equal heat distribution.

Making the skipper happy with some new tools and gear is fodder for a great sailing season.

Enjoy the holidays.

Fair Winds and Smooth Sailing.

All items listed above are available at www.clrmarine.com

.

Award-winning author Cheryl Kuba has been at the helm for more than 30 years sailing the Great Lakes, with side trips to the British Virgin Islands and St. Maarten. She has served as past-Commodore of Great Lakes Fleet 21 - Chicago region.

©Copyright Cheryl Kuba, 3happycampers.com, 2021.

It started as a perfect day. The sun was shining. Not a cloud in the sky. Then, the fog rolled in.

No visibility. You've lost all sense of visual direction. It isn't easy to know where the sounds of the sea are originating. If this hasn't happened to you yet, it will. Be prepared.

Ancient mariners relied heavily on celestial navigation. Compasses made it possible for sailors to navigate overcast days when they could not see the sun or stars. Early mariners' compasses were made by placing a magnetized needle attached to a piece of wood into a bowl of water.

Today, the task is more straightforward with sophisticated radar and GPS navigation systems but not foolproof. As a result, sea captains and leisure boaters alike need to be educated on navigating the waters in dense fog.

10 Tips for Boating in Foggy Conditions

1. Use Common Sense
   
2. Check weather forecasts before you head out. If a temperature change is predicted, fog will be involved.
   
3. Slow Down
   
4. Don't Be Afraid to Stop and Drop Anchor, if Necessary.
   
5. Know and Use Your Sound Signals.
   
6. Blow your horn every minute
   
7. Utilize Your Onboard Electronics.
   
8. Enlist the Help of Your Crew. Have Each Person Man a Watch Position on the Vessel.
   
9. Turn On Your Navigational Lights.
   
10. Watch Your Depth Finder or Fish Finder.

Best Navigation Systems for Navigating Fog

Furuno 1935 4kW 3.5' Open Array 10.4" Color LCD Radar

Furuno's new 1935 Radar is a high contrast 10.4" color LCD radar designed for various vessels, including pleasure craft, fishing boats, and workboats. This new radar offers crystal clear target presentation with automatic Gain/Sea/Rain controls to deliver noise-free radar presentation.

The 1935 allows you to see far away objects before they are visible and allows you to see in the dark, fog, or during periods of obstructed visibility in any weather condition.

Lighting the Way in Fog

Rigid Industries carries a full line of compliant fog lights and mounts for the best lights to use in foggy conditions.

RIGID Industries D-Series SAE Compliant Fog Light - Black w/Yellow Light

CLR Marine carries both the Furuno 1935 4kw navigation systems and the Rigid Industries fog lights listed above. Visit www.clrmarine.com.

A nasty expense of fog suddenly rolling in while you are on the water can be a scary proposition. Consider the area where you are boating. Is there the possibility of crab pots in the water? Are there finger docks that are not well lit at night? Do you know where the harbor's buoys are located?

Prepare yourself for the worst conditions and take every precaution to be safe.

Fair Winds and Smooth Sailing

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Award-winning author Cheryl Kuba has been at the helm for more than 30 years sailing the Great Lakes, with side trips to the British Virgin Islands and St. Maarten. She has served as past-Commodore of Great Lakes Fleet 21 - Chicago region.

©Copyright Cheryl Kuba, 3happycampers.com, 2021.

Paddle your own Canoe

The history of canoes dates back 10,000 years to our forefathers, who launched dugout canoes made with animal skin and a skeleton frame of tree branches. More recently, there has been a discovery of a well-preserved birch bark canoe dating back 250 years.

Canoe rides are calm as you glide on rivers, altering your speed with your paddle as you are propelled along. Canoe rides are pristine. Of late, white water canoeing as a sport has become very popular and more challenging. Ocean canoeing falls under the white water category.

Tandem Canoeing

Canoeing with a buddy gives you someone to talk to, and gives you more paddle power for your vessel. These tips, provided by Voyageur Outward Bound School, will make your canoeing experience easier and safer.

Paddle on opposite sides of the boat- 

To keep your craft from pitching back and forth and make the boat more stable under motion. For added stability, kneel if you’re in rough water or trying to gain ground in a headwind.

Paddle in sync with your partner. Find your rhythm. It is the bow (front) paddler’s job to set the pace, and it is the role of the stern (back) paddler to match that tempo.

The bow is where the speed comes in. Maximize your forward momentum. Call a “switch” regularly to change sides, which will help keep your boat going in a straight line.

Keep your paddle shaft vertical.

The alternative is called “lily-dipping” – if you’ve got an itinerary to keep and miles to make, a vertical paddle shaft will ensure that the blade of your paddle is vertical during the power phase of your stroke – maximizing forward propulsion each time.

Wear your PFD.

Safety first in all boating activities. Canoes are very unstable, especially getting in and getting out.  Seventy-five percent of paddle sport-related drownings were found with no personal flotation device on. Twenty percent of paddlesport fatalities had alcohol as a contributing factor. Invest in a comfortable PFD, so you’re more likely to wear it. It won’t save your life if you don’t wear it.

Dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature. A person dressed in street clothes has a 50% chance of swimming 50 yards in 50-degree water. Hypothermia is the natural killer.

Know your limits.

Measure before you go. Novice paddlers typically cover about two mph on flat water. Experienced paddlers looking for a workout can cover 3-3.5 mph. Anticipate what river current might do to your speed and itinerary.

Check out the CLR Marine Ritchie K-TD.2 Tie Down f/Kayaker Compass S-59 - Black  for better navigation.

Sunscreen in all the right places.

Sun reflected off the water will burn in some unlikely places –  under your nose and back of your ears. In an aluminum canoe, there is added reflection off metal surfaces. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. Both need to be attached with a keeper string. 

Practice getting back in your boat.

If you are paddling solo, the best advice is to paddle close to shore and in the lee. Don’t be farther away from the beach than what you know you can swim with your boat full of water. The Canadian re-entry technique works well for the less-athletic and in choppy waters. Once you’ve T-rescued the capsized boat, have the swimmer get to one end of two boats held side by side by a rescuer. Put a hand on each gunwale, float on your back, and hook a leg over a gunwale of each boat. Then, arch your back and drop your bottom into one of the boats.

Beware of flat river-wide horizon lines.

These are often low head dams. They may look benign, with a modest 2-4 foot drop, but given how water hydraulics work, underwater currents trap and hold boats and humans. Learn to recognize these hazards and portage around them.

Pack good snacks.

In addition to ample water, consider packing power snacks or a picnic lunch, fishing poles, binoculars, extra chocolate.

Kayaking

Like canoeing, Kayaking allows the boater to glide across pristine lake waters and rivers. Most kayaks are made of roto-molded polyethylene resins. Kayaks have become very advanced, not only for the water but for ease of transporting, durability, and skill level. In 2021, you will find sit on top kayaks, folding kayaks, and inflatables.

Many of the same techniques used in canoeing apply in Kayaking as well. When going tandem in Kayaking, follow the same guidelines as canoeing tandem.

Check out https://www.clrmarine.com/462m4/paddlesports.html

Surfing

Movies and television shows have popularized surfing over the years with the likes of Hawaii 5-0, Gidget Goes Hawaiian, and more recently Rip Tide, Momentum and Take Every Wave. Whether this is your first opportunity to catch a wave, or you have been practicing, studying and surfing around the globe, there is a surfboard with your name on it. And, there is a price range for boards from inexpensive to custom-made just for you.

There are three specifications for beginning and intermediate surfers when looking for a good board:

1. Length (easy paddling and making speed, helps to catch smaller waves)
2. Buoyancy (the thicker the board, the better it floats, the more waves you catch)
3. Width (a wide board gives you more stability and will help you stand up consistently)

Getting started

If you are a beginner, the best way to learn is to be taught by an experienced surfer. Plan to get a wide board, and know that you will spend more time sitting and kneeling on the board, than standing. There are surfing classes at various resorts and beaches. They are worth the time and money.

Always think of safety first. Find a beach that is perfect for beginners with small waves.

Be aware of your surroundings. Spot landmarks that you can see from the water. Spend time on the beach before you enter the water. Take the time to check your leash and your board. Watch other surfers and see what they do. Their successes or failure are good teaching moments for you. Pace yourself. Don’t rush to catch the biggest wave.

Paddlesports are meant to be relaxing, fun, and a terrific opportunity to commune with nature. Enjoy.

Fair winds and smooth sailing.

To obtain more information about the products and services mentioned in this article, please get in touch with CLR Marine https://www.clrmarine.com/.

_________________________________________________________________________

Award-winning author Cheryl Kuba has been at the helm for more than 30 years sailing the Great Lakes, with side trips to the British Virgin Islands and St. Maarten.

She has served as past- Commodore of Great Lakes Fleet 21 -Chicago region. 3happycampers.com

©Copyright Cheryl Kuba, 3happycampers.com, 2021.

As the days warm up, skippers want to hear the splash of the hull on the water. The last week in May, or Memorial Day weekend, marks the official start of the boating season in cold weather climates.

Many boaters find exploring underwater an adventure into a whole new world. Whether you are on a night dive or set to explore murky waters, choose the best lighting for safety. For a night dive, consider the number of lumens and the angle of a dive light. In an article by www.scubadiving.com,any light with an average beam angle between 12 degrees to 75 degrees and a lumen output of 200 or greater should work fine for any recreational diving. The beam should be far wider than most torches can produce to prevent a bright spot from appearing. A 90-degree beam should be sufficient for most wide-angle video cameras.

ACR RCL-300 Remote Controlled Searchlight - 12V/24V

Underwater Lighting

 As the days grow longer, with the earth moving closer to the sun and Daylight Savings Time giving us more daylight in some regions, we have to shield ourselves from harmful UV rays. In the earth's hemisphere experiencing summer, the sun rises higher in the sky and is more intense. Its rays strike the ground at a higher angle than in the hemisphere experiencing winter. On June 21st, when the Northern Hemisphere is having its summer solstice because it tilts towards the sun, the hemisphere receives the most direct sunlight of the year.

.

Happy New Year! This past year has been a time of tumultuous panoptic upsets: The pandemic, political unrest, and nature's mayhem of hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires. However, boaters still have our beautiful waterways, lakes, harbors, and our oceans to enjoy and use as an oasis of tranquility, peace, and sports.

By now, the skipper in your life has probably dropped a few hints about holiday gifts. Was it the note left on the coffee pot about Articulated ABS Barrel Hinge foldable Aluminum Tubing? At first glance, one would have thought that the message was a reminder about being out of coffee filters. Then it comes back to you that there was a conversation in the car about GemLock Assembled Folding Struts. 

It's that time again when Old Man Winter is shortening or ending our sailing season. Maybe you store your boat in a garage, barn, or at a marina. Now is the time to brush up on safe and useful storage tips.

1. When packing up, clean your electronics with a microfiber cloth by wiping down buttons and screens. A soft cloth is recommended with bottled water to clean screens that may have been stained by saltwater. Screen cleaners will not do the job. You may want to document the wiring so that installation is easy when you are ready to launch.

2. Drain your boat of all water – bilge, head, sink lines, water tanks, sea-cocks, and pipes. If you are in an area with extended periods of freezing, put antifreeze in the low parts if there is still some water present.

3. Remove all batteries. Charge your batteries, clean the terminals, and put a light coat of grease on the terminals. Store your batteries in a warm, dry place. Not in the boat.

4. Winterize the engine:

• Use fresh water to flush the engine, including the cooling system, to remove corrosion, dirt, salt, and residue
• Refill the cooling system with antifreeze.
• Warm up the engine to loosen impurities.
• Replace the oil and filters.
• Look for the residue of old oil.
• Remove and store all belts.

5. Fill the engine with gas and stabilizer. Run the engine for 15 minutes so that the mixture reaches the engine. If your engine uses E-10 fuel, take extra care in that it absorbs moisture ten times more than typical gasoline. (source: trailervalet.com).

6. A thorough cleaning of the boat before you store is a must, whether you have a small fishing boat or a six-cabin yacht. Soap and water will do a thorough job. Clean lockers, refrigerators, coolers, sinks, and cushions. Open all and allow to dry before you store. Next, clean the entire outside from bow to stern. End your cleaning with a coat of wax to the exterior and polish. Leaving a clean boat will make the launch process a lot easier when it's time.

7. Keeping mold and mildew at bay: Mildew comes from humidity. The best way to reduce humidity is ventilation. Although some skippers button up their boats to be airtight for the winter, there has to be some ventilation source. Use products that absorb moisture such as Damp Rid or purchase a dehumidifier such as Eva-Dry Mini Dehumidifiers. Find and seal any leaks and keep the boat clean. Cover the boat with either shrink wrap or a boat cover.

8. Shrinkwrap or a canvas boat cover? Ratings and opinions from the Hull Truth Boating Forum suggest that canvas covers are a better option for durability and cost. The canvas covers can be used season after season. With shrink wrap covers, there is the cost of installation every year. One source said if you are north of Boston, shrink wrapping is preferable because snow will slide right off the plastic wrap, versus weighing down the canvas. Contributors also felt the boat stays cleaner with shrink wrap.

Remove boat cushions, or not? The jury is out about removing boat cushions. Many skippers remove all cushions and bedding. Others spray the cushion bottoms with anti-mold spray. If keeping cabin cushions on the boat, stand them up on end to reduce the chance of mold. Most important is to keep as much moisture out of the cabin, as mentioned above.

Do everything you can to keep your boat critter-free during the winter. Lock all windows. Many small, rabid animals, especially raccoons, are looking for a warm place to nest for the winter. Raccoons are drawn by any food left in boats and will chew carpeting and cushions. Once inside a locked boat, they have no way to exit since they have most likely fallen from an open window. The messes they leave, including their waste, can be very unpleasant and a costly wake-up call in the spring. Keep mice out by plugging up scuppers and vents. Many skippers use Dryer Fresh Cab rodent repellent hoping the strong scent will repel rodents.

Circle Saturday, May 22, 2021, on your calendar. That is almost ten days before Memorial Day, next year when most harbors open for the season. Start your prep work, tune-ups, sanding, and painting to get out on the water for a great boating season.

Fair Winds. Smooth Sailing

To obtain more information about the products and services mentioned in this article, please contact CLR Marine https://www.clrmarine.com/.

__________________________________________________________________________

Award-winning author Cheryl Kuba has been at the helm for more than 30 years sailing the Great Lakes, with side trips to the British Virgin Islands and St. Maarten. She has served as past- Commodore of Great Lakes Fleet 21 -Chicago region. 3happycampers.com

©Copyright Cheryl Kuba, 3happycampers.com

Swimming off the dock in a marina.          

Swimming off a boat                            

• Talk to marina owners or operators about the danger of ESD. Ask your marina operator to prohibit swimming at their facility and post signs.
• Ask marina operators if they are aware of and following the guidelines from NFPA 303 (Fire Protection Standard for Marinas and Boatyards) and National Electric Code (NEC) 555.
• Never use household extension cords on your boat. Shore power cords meeting UL standards are required.
• Your boat can be tested and inspected for electricity leaks by a qualified electrician trained to ABYC standards.
• Whether in freshwater or saltwater, never dive on your boat for repairs while connected to shore power.

ESD How does it happen             

ESD is caused by alternating current (AC) flowing through fresh water encountering a human body. The current tries to pass through the body and causes skeletal muscular paralysis, which ultimately results in a drowning. The above picture shows you how the current flows.

Watch the Weather.

When a thunderstorm of any kind is approaching, whether lightning is present or not;

• Get everyone out of the water – scuba divers, swimmers, jet skiers, and stop any fishing activities.
• Stay in the center of the cabin of the boat.
• Keep arms and legs in the boat. 

There is no such thing as a boat being lightning proof, but you can take steps to make your vessel lightning protected. Most pleasure craft are made of fiberglass or wood, not providing the automatic grounding protection offered by metal-hulled craft. When lightning strikes a small boat, the electrical current is searching for any route to ground, including the human body, an excellent conductor of electricity.

Major lightning protective equipment includes an air terminal, main conductor, and a ground plate. Secondary components are secondary conductors, lightning arrestors, lightning protective gaps, and connectors. Lightning arrestors and lightning protective gaps are used to protect radios and other electronic equipment, which are subject to electrical surges.

If a sailboat mast is made of conductive material, a conductor securely fastened to the mast and extending six inches above the mast and terminating in a receiving point, or a radio antenna can serve as the air terminal.

Captain Chuck Reed, and his wife, Linda, sailed their 36' Catalina sailboat from Detroit to the Caribbean and lived aboard for three years. Reed, the owner of CLR Marine, used a shaft saver on Silent Dream to to keep the boat totally ungrounded, and also save the prop shaft if a line got wrapped around it. Yes, it did save the prop shaft one time and being totally ungrounded he feels that it did save them from the lightning. The Reeds encountered many thunderstorms that included lightning, their boat did not suffer any damage due to lightning.

The National Fire Protection Association, Lightning Protection Code

For a more detailed summary of how to protect your boat from a lightning strike, refer to the National Fire Protection Association's Lightning Protection Code. www.nfpa.org.

Shaft Savers are available at https://www.clrmarine.com/462m4/marine-hardware/shaft-couplers.html 

Watch the weather. Stay safe. 

Fair Winds and Smooth Sailing

To obtain more information about the products and services mentioned in this article, please contact CLR Marine https://www.clrmarine.com/.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Award-winning author Cheryl Kuba has been at the helm for more than 30 years sailing the Great Lakes, with side trips to the British Virgin Islands and St. Maarten. She has served as past- Commodore of Great Lakes Fleet 21 -Chicago region. 3happycampers.com

©Copyright Cheryl Kuba, 3happycampers.com

• When first turned on you may hear static, the “squelch”. Turn the knob until the static stops.
• Channel 16 should become your new best friend. It is the channel that is monitored by the US Coast Guard and Marine Units, Conservation Police and Harbor Masters. If you are on Channel 16 and don't have an emergency, any of the aforementioned entities will have you switch to another channel.
• Some commercial vessels also monitor Channel 70, and as of February 1, 2005, vessels over 300 tons  are not required to monitor Channel 16,  but are required by international law to monitor Channel 70.

Social Distancing. An extensive need for Vitamin D (best source is the sun). Everywhere we turn we are bombard with news on how to stay healthy, stay safe and take precautions. We are counting on hope. A time will come in the future when it will be safe to get back to business, our social activities and boating.